R.I.P Percy And James...

Last week Jason and my father-in-law set up Noahs fish tank in his room. The excitement was at an all time high. The kids love fish and have been watching the Nemo movie every day for the last month!! The boys worked hard and traveled Greenville to find just the right additions to our home. After many hours of banging, crashing,kids running up and down the stairs to give reports... the tank was done!! The fish were in and 5 little faces were pressed up against the glass. 3 pretty blue devils now called our little red house home! Grandpa set the rules down. NO BANGING THE TANK!!! NO CARS THROWN AT THE TANK!!! NO TOYS IN THE TANK!!! After a few seconds of disappointment, the excitement returned and they were entertained. Every morning the kids would wake up and run to see their new pets. The fish were greeted by smiling faces and a huge yell from Molly. Yes, you read that right. Molly insists on getting as close to the tank without actually touching it and yelling at the poor fish. Regardless of each childs strange behavior towards the trio, they were loved and named... Thomas, James and Percy.

 Yesterday Dr. Fishdaddy noticed they were not doing well. They were not eating and not swimming as freely as they should have been. We told the kids they were just sleeping and resting behind the rock. Last night after many laughs and good tv, fish-daddy came down the stairs and gave us some grim news... while the kids were sleeping 2 out of the three fish passed away to fish heaven. We are pretty certain #3 is not far behind. I recommended praying for the fish but I have a good idea that his destiny has already been planned.

 This morning over the monitor we heard the concerns of the fishes location... "where are the fish Hannah?" "Are they sleeping Hannah?" My big girl covered ever so nicely and said they were sleeping. I know Molly thinks they escaped through the filter, just like her hero Nemo!!

 As I was taking the pictures of the tank for my blog this morning I stuck my face close to the glass and saw little ol Thomas... all alone hiding behind his rock mourning the loss of his brothers. His tail is not so yellow and he is not as bright as before. Its almost time for him to leave us. Thats understood as it takes someone tough and strong to be a member of this family. The weak are weeded out!

 Fish-daddy assures me its normal to lose the first set of fish when creating a salt-water environment. Once the tank goes thru a normal cycle, fish will thrive and live longer than a few days. Im sure the kids think the fish went thru the filter during their Ring of fire ceremony, I believe those fish were not suited for our family... not tough enough for our crowd. Whatever the reasons were, they were loved and will be missed by many cute little faces. They are now swimming freely in the heavens.

James and Percy

11/26-11/29, 2008

Pretty In Pink...

Aren't these photo's amazing? It is someones actual living room!! They collect vintage,pink, romantic room decor. I have to admit Im a bit jealous!! I could easily picture myself right at home on the couch, drinking out of a dainty little mug, reading a great book. One day I plan on having my own romanticly pink room... perhaps the sunroom? Or our foyer? But for now I love my home the way it is... I could not have all those dainty items around my kiddies.

 These photo's got me thinking about our tree that we will be putting up later this week. My victorian tree which I love so much. I recently went to my favorite store...can you guess?? Yup, Hobby Lobby!! I bought some beautiful glittery pink bulbs and gold bulbs (with flowers on them) I can't wait to hang them. I also bought a very beautiful victorian pink flowered and diamond-y heart picture frame. Im not sure who I will put in the frame, but I will choose soon. I plan on going again tomorrow to pick up a few more pretty ornaments they have...as long as they are still 50% off!

 I also have 3 other small trees and this year they will be displayed and decorated. One has red ribbons on it and its outside in the back porch on top of my christmas table, I will decorate another one and place it in my foyer (preferably pink) and tree #3 has yet to be decided upon. I will be sure to post pictures of all things Christmas. I can't wait!!!

Tis The Season...

Thanksgiving is over, after two days of eating until I popped Im ready to put up that Christmas tree and celebrate the season. This past week was wonderful! Family drove down and flew down to share Thanksgiving in our little red house.Wednesday was spent in the kitchen baking,cooking and prepping. We even had the kids involved...mixing the dips,making the brownies (something my girls specialize in) and eating all the apple peels. 7 pies were made (im serious) a slew of appetizers and main dishes that would make the best chefs jealous. We ate and ate and laughed and ate. Our friend Leah and her family joined us (a.k.a. DiscoDiva) to help us eat all the sweets, her kids enjoyed playing guitar hero in the garage and Wii which was set up in the living room. Good times were had, coffee was partaken in and by the end of the night only 1 child threw up due to over indulgence. (Poor Emma) I would love to say that the next day was different, but it wasn't. We had french toast for breakfast from the leftover Challah bread, pie for lunch and turkey for snack. Dinner was tough. We were all fat and lazy and not wanting to dirty the kitchen yet again so off we went to Chili's in Greenville. I had the most yummy burger bites with onion straws and all the fried onions from hubby's sizzling fajitas. I have two beautiful bites left in my fridge that im saving for tonight.

 I went to Sams the other day and found awesome Betsey Johnson pj's for only $12!!! They are super pink and floral-y... just like her designs are. Did I tell you how comfortable they are? Did I?(lol a little inside joke) So tonight I will sit on the couch, eat my burgers and laugh my belly off watching the office.

 We skipped black Friday madness much to my sadness. The only store I attempted was Hobby Lobby where I bought some Christmas decorations,a beautiful sign for my bedroom and the beginnings of my Christmas fireplace mantel. I will post pictures of my glittery Christmas swag as soon as my camera decides to work again. :(

 We will celebrate our very first Christmas in our new little Red House and I can't wait. Im determined to make this the best Christmas south of the Mason Dixon line!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving! Our Turkey is in the oven, stuffed to the brim with yummy stuffing, Challah bread has been braided and baked and 7 pies await a new home in our bellies!! The t.v. is set to see the Macy's Thanksgiving parade... an eagerly awaited tradition. The last bit of family flew in late last night. The holiday is here!!

 We will spend the day playing Wii, laughing, eating, playing,sleeping,eating and making memories. Some books have been picked to read to the kids after the meal and friends will be coming over to partake in the pie eating.

 We have so much to be Thankful for this year!

Im Very Angry...

I was re-designing my blog and lost ALL my widgets... so please bare with me while my site is under construction. If you were a follower, please re-follow me and let me know if Im forgetting anything

GapGirl :x

Monday Ramblings...

4 days till Turkey day but who's counting??? I AM!! The holidays are in full swing at my home. Jason has the whole week off and I have been working him to the bone... don't feel bad for him, he secretly LOVES it!!

 My to-do list is so long I had to convert our family wipe-off board into my brain. I also have a few lists categorized in my organizer stored in my purse... away from prying eyes. Tomorrow the cooking starts,followed by cleaning and a bright and early 6 a.m wake-up call wednesday morning. Shoppers are not high on my lists of likes and during the holidays I have road rage equivalent aimed at people who crowd the aisles. For my safety (and the safety of others)I hit the stores before the sun-rise and am happily at home before the mess. I hope to finish 75% of my christmas shopping then AND pick up a few cute things for the house at my favorite store. Wednesday is also the first day family will be over, I need to come up with some good crock-pot breakfast recipes good enough to feed a very hungry crowd.

 The general rule in our home is... NO Christmas anything until AFTER Thanksgiving. I hate the fact that society tends to skip this holiday because of the lack of money it generates...but this year I broke my own rule. I can't help it. Something has come over me and im ready to celebrate the season. So, as you can imagine, once the Turkey is in our bellies, Santa and our tree will be quickly emerging. I will be sure to post.

 Thats it for my weekly update, I will be sure to post daily happenings for all of my friends who could not spend this day with us!

Till Death Do They Part...

The family and I attended the most beautiful wedding last night. We almost didn't make it, Jason was working late, dinner was not making itself and the 3 cups of coffee I drank earlier were not motivating me enough to get 5 children dressed in their best on a cold Friday night... But I had no choice, wedding bells were in the air at our home. The kids kept looking at the clock and wondering what Ms. Brittaney was doing at this EXACT moment, they asked about the dress, the music, the honeymoon... the dress, the dress (did I say that already?) I have 4 girls, so you can imagine the daydreams going on in their heads. Molly of coarse kept asking if their baby was getting ready to come down from heaven... I couldn't help but laugh inside... little do the two of them know that a little 4 year old is already waiting and hoping for a new Baker.."Do they have names yet? Will the baby be at the wedding...??"

Well, all things worked out and we were on our way. In true GapGirl fashion we were LATE!! Jason practiced his road rage quite well and I attempted to run in 4 inch high heels while carrying a baby AND going downhill... I managed not to kill myself and we slipped up to the balcony.

The sanctuary was beautiful. It was peaceful and there was something in the air that night... You knew love was abound.

My girls had their faces plastered up against the glass and I quietly envied them... I wish I could have done that myself. Before long the music started and there she was... as white as snow walking towards the man she loved... I could not see anything else as my eyes filled with tears. There is something so symbolic about weddings. I glanced over at Jason who was staring and smiling. I whispered and told him I was crying, He laughed at me and smiled.

The rest of the ceremony went by quickly. I went downstairs with the other parents of toddlers and watched the rest of the wedding thru the open doors. I glanced at them at the alter exchanging vows,keys,dreams and pouring sand. I envied their innocence, their naivety on life and what the future holds. I wanted to tell them that the love for each other today was just a small glimpse of the love they will have for each other in the future. I wanted to tell them that the deep love they have for each other now pales in comparison to the love they feel for each other when they hold their baby for the first time. Do they know the days of sorrow they will share together behind closed doors will only make them grow stronger and each fight they have just proves how much they love each other? No, they don't... but they will find out together. Just like Jason and I did. Everyone has a story and last night, they began theirs.

The ride home was filled with smiles (and some snores from sleeping babies.) I glanced over at Jason and wondered where 12 years went. He still seemed like the boy from Mcdonalds who made a bet with John to ask me out. He took a chance and the rest is history.

It hasn't always been an easy life. We have shared our times of joy together and times of sorrow but through it all love was there.

A Church Mother once told me that you can't have a life of sunshine... as constant sun brings a drought but its the rain and storms that bring the beautiful flowers... Oh how true that is.

So, to Andrew and Brittaney Baker, we wish you happiness,joy and peace. Always remember how much you love each other and be each others best friend. Talk together,cry together and laugh together... and in true GapGirl fashion I wish you many many many beautiful little Bakers...;o.

God Bless

November 21,2008

7 Glorious days!!!

Today is the last day of Kelli's House of Thanks. I was really glad to be able to participate this year and look forward to many more... Since I am a little obsessed with the holidays... I plan on continuing some holiday posts all thru December as well.

 I was going to post pictures of my really cute Thanksgiving Tree (on my freshly painted yellow walls) BUT I have a few more hands floating thru the mail and must await for their arrival before I post pictures. I was not planning on posting as I was drawing a complete blank today. Im still suffering from a bad case of the sniffles and feel clogged most of the day. On my way back from Barnes and Nobles my blogging side of my brain cleared up a bit and Viola !!! I have a post.

 These are some pictures of Last years celebration. We had just moved to our new home state and it was our first holiday away from family. We were a bit sad (but not sad enough to make that 13.5 hour drive back;) but drowned our sorrows in extra turkey gravy and stuffing. The babies were so much smaller last year, we were in our plain white rental home living out of boxes... Our cabinets were being installed in our new home that we watched being built thru the trees. It was just the 7 of us and we had fun, after a delicious dessert spread we played a good game of Monopoly and shared the brownies with the neighborhood kids that somehow made it into our backyard.

 Wow, how much life has changed in just a short 365 days. We are all settled in our "little" red house and happy. We have family traveling down for next week and have a countdown posted on our wipe-off board.

 We can't wait to carve into our 23 pound bird... YES I said 2-3 POUNDS!! (the biggest in the case... Jason made sure of it) I will be sure to post pictures.

8 Days Till....

Today is day 3 of Kelli's House of THANKS. I have many many things to be Thankful for... too many to try to list all of them... But I will list a few...

1) MY KIDS!!! I am so Thankful for my 5 awesome kids. I think I love them more and more every day. They are smart,amazing,incredible and of coarse beautiful. I have enjoyed homeschooling them this year and hope to have many more years together. My life would be so empty without all of them.
2) My handsome Hubba Hubba!! We have been married over 12 years and I still get excited when he walks thru the door from a day of work. I still count the hours till the weekend and still would rather spend my time with him instead of a night out with friends.Plus He gave me my awesome kids!! That alone is enough to love him forever ;)
3) My "Little" red house. We never thought owning a home would be possible... let alone a 4 bedroom one. We prayed and prayed as a family and God took us 800 miles away from home and to this certain location to give us our dream. We saw it emerge from clay and picked out every feature. It was beyond a blessing and beyond and answer to prayer. It just goes to show you how GOOD GOD IS! I have since given my home over to Him to bless others every chance I get. I vowed my home would be a way to Show Gods love to every one that walks thru my door...
4) JESUS!!! Thats the best gift. Without Him we would all be nothing. He is sooo good to all of us even though we don't deserve it.
5) My church. Finding a church can be tough but deciding to sacrifice to a church is even harder. I love what being part of a church family has taught me, I Love serving in my church and being a part of the body of Christ. You should try it!

These are just a slim few of my few favorites, like I said earlier... the list can go on and on but its always nice to reflect on everything we do have!

(Tomorrow Im posting pictures of my awesome-ly huge Thanksgiving tree, so stay tuned!)

9 Days Till Turkey Day...

Today is day 2 at Kelli's house of Thanks.

Im off to Publix later to check off some more things on my Thanksgiving menu. It also happens to be Holiday Fest there...(pure coincidence I assure you ;o) I will just have to grin and bare it when tasting yummy treats and desserts while shopping. Sigh, Sometimes life is so hard.

Jason and I keep revising our ever changing menu as I keep inviting more people to our table and we are still on the hunt for our Tommy bird. Jason wants a 25 pounder... 10 pounds for him and 15 pounds for the rest of us. He loves leftovers and my cooking, so I guess I will try to make that happen. So far our menu is as follows:

APPETIZERS:

Stuffed Mushrooms

Tomato/Mozzerella salad

Cheese and crackers

Crackers and dip

Spinach dip with Pumpernickel bread

MAIN DISHES:

TURKEY

Stuffing

GapGirls special mashed potatoes

Green bean casserole

Home-made bread

sweet potato casserole

corn

cranberry sauce

gravy

salad

lasagna

DESSERT:

Two apple pies

Two pecan pies

Two chocolate pudding pies

one pumpkin pie

brownies

ice cream

home made whipped cream

That about sums it up, as you can see I have plenty of food to share, so if your in the mood for some of the best cooking in the south then just come on over to my little red house. You will not be disappointed...I guarantee =)

Twas 10 days Before Thanksgiving...

Next week is the BIG day. I can't wait. Im finalizing and re-writing my menu!! The house is getting cleaner (slowly) and the kids keep asking me when will we start baking.

  Stay tuned each day as I start to post all pre-holiday activities... and of coarse the final picture of that delicious grand ol Tom turkey! Yum Yum...

Almost Complete

Well the hard work, tears and stress was well worth it. My living room is complete... well after tonight it will be. Some trim and touch ups need to be done first. Im very happy with the color. Now we are off to get some more pretty things for the walls. I can't wait!!

New Poll

Check out my new poll on the right AND VOTE!!! Im looking forward to the responses... and be nice =)

Some happy bath-time pictures. I could not get everyone looking at the camera and smiling at the same time, so I posted a few. I also received new curriculum books in the mail. We were very excited. Now I must go, GapGirl is sick =(, I will curl up in my Gap pj's and try to sleep through a very stuffy nose. Wish me luck....

Living Room NIGHTMARES

here it is, the color I wanted my walls for so long... until I actually put it on my walls. Its just too... well you get the picture. It actually looks nicer in the pictures. Then I turn my head and look around and want to cry. Im off to lowes right now to get choice #2 on the swatch. Im praying this won't take too much sweat and tears and panic attacks. My poor body can only take so much...

The Spice Of Life

Just wanted to share with you one of my favorite features of my kitchen... my spice rack. I didn't know it even existed until the final walk thru. I was SO surprised and happy to have a shelf that pulls in and out. Now I can buy my big spices and have a neat and clean way to store them. All the little joys of a domestic Goddess.=)

Digging For Crickets...

Papa bear digging for crickets. The sun was setting right overhead and washed out the picture. It was a beautiful evening, not a cloud in the sky...but I promise you, he was totally orange, covered in dirt and clay from head to toe. My tub had to be scrubbed right after due to the grossness. What a boy!!!

Help Hunger

Jason and I found out about the organization a few years ago. We loved the idea but quickly forgot. This year He came across it again and did not want to forget. We decided to participate and include the children.

 A small $20 donation can provide a flock of chickens to a very needy family. They can use the chickens for eggs and food... and raise baby chickens which will double and even triple their gift. They must pass along a baby or two from their new flock to someone else in need. An even bigger donation can buy rabbits,goats,cows,ducks,and even water buffalo.

 Last night at dinner, before church, we discussed the Heifer organization and what they do. We decided to make a Heifer jar so we can slip some money in it to donate. Together we want to help bless another family since we are so blessed ourselves.

 Yesterday we went to the dollar store and helped pick out toys for Samaritans Purse... another awesome outreach. It also goes by the name Shoebox gifts. You fill up a shoebox with little toys and trinkets (mostly dollar store) They are wrapped and shipped to other countries and given to little children all over the world. They are also told about Jesus and the wonderful gift He gave us.

 The kids had a great time picking out things. Molly really impressed me. She walked up and down those aisles reminding everyone else that we were there to pick out toys for poor kids...NOT US!! She picked out crayons and a bouncy ball and a stuffed animal. Hannah and Emma picked out socks,play cars and more stuffed animals. They made me proud! We left the store with no fits,screams or tantrums. (I did have to remind the older ones that we were NOT there for them...a few times.)

 As the Christmas season approaches, it is a great opportunity to really teach our children about the true meaning of Christmas. That Christmas is not about the gifts we get, its about the gifts we give. Christmas is A season of blessing others because Christ has blessed us more than we can ever know. 

 I urge you to find the true meaning of Christmas this year, its not found in stores but in your heart.

Tuesday Happenings...

A busy day in our little red house. Im babysitting Discodiva's little Miss Lilah. She fits right in and quickly adopted Hannah as her new BFF. I also found some great clearance Thanksgiving crafts at Acmoore and will attempt to have the kids have a craft day today... followed by 3 pages of math and some Language arts. 

 Im eagerly awaiting my new school books I ordered last night at CBD and have to browse the online catalog for some more handwriting books and classic literature. Perhaps I can convince Jason to let me place another order.

 My kids are still not dressed for the day and my first cup of coffee waits patiently to be digested. 

 I have to plan dinner and will have Emma assist me with the prepping and cooking. SHe is 11 and should be cooking up a storm by now.

 They are master brownie makers though... Hmmm that gives me an idea.... =)

Do You Like It?

So, do you like my newly designed page?? Isn't it precious? I LOVE it!! Im spending this long evening searching thru Christian Book distributor and made a small purchase. Emma and Hannah needed new spelling and grammar books. I can't wait! They should arrive by thursday. CBD has some great deals on history books and all home schooling resources. I might just have to go back and purchase some books on the Pledge of Allegiance. (to me thats very interesting) I also plan on browsing the Christian Family Store this thursday evening. Emma has 2 nights of drama practice which equals 2 nights of pure alone time. I need to use every second wisely...

 Im currently searching for an old set of encyclopedias. I prefer books over internet as I believe reading and researching on paper provides more knowledge than typing on a keyboard. Plus when having Hannah try to find a god source for Salt water... the results were beyond pitiful. So if you happen to have a set collecting dust and taking up space, give me a yell and I will be right over =)

 Im off to bed now, my mail lady was so kind as to deliver one of my homeschooling magazines today... Above Rubies. I can't wait to lay in bed and read it while Jason watches the history channel (No really, he loves it)

 Have a great night and comment your thoughts on my new pretty page!!

Ramblings of A Mad Lady...

Here I am, a very happy Lady blowing kisses at the camera while drinking coffee. My computer screen up and running. How grand life seems!!! Things have changed a bit since then. My hair is longer, my kitchen is redder and MY COMPUTER IS BROKEN!!! Yes, I know what your thinking..."how are you blogging if your computer is broken..blah blah bah..." Its just beyond slow. Surfing is more like crawling and I take frequent naps in between pages. Jason has been on the phone with at&t daily... a.k.a India.. They try to fool you with common names like Joe or Jenny... Yeah ok, we buy that. Finally we have a technician coming today between the hours of 12 a.m and 12 p.m. with a "no guarantee..." of actually showing. Great.

 I try to occupy my time by cleaning the house, playing with the kids and dusting my lovely,lonely apple computer.

 I guess with the fallen economy and layoffs of every sort, I could be stressing about a lot worse...

 On a lighter note. Monday is here yet again. Jason is back at work and its time for more school. Excitement has entered the air in our home. We can now finally say that Thanksgiving is in 2 weeks. Jason starts vacation in 2 weeks and the kids get a week off of school...in two weeks!! Menu's are being finalized, hands are pouring in and discussions are being had as to how to arrange the bountiful meal. Activities will be picking up shortly. Cooking/freezing will begin and by weeks end I will finish the holiday food shopping.

 Dear hubby and I have still not come to an agreement on the size of our turkey. Im thinking logical and oven size and J is just thinking of LEFTOVERS!!! We invited another family to our table and really hope they take us up on the offer. The more the merrier is our philosophy.

 The girls are finishing up their Mayflower Unit study and are really getting a grasp on how tough life was for those sacred people.

 I have tons of pictures to upload but will not be able to until my internet is functioning a little better. So, hang in there and check back. I have tons more to blog about...

Update

Just a reminder to check my side bar every so often. I added some new features and daily updates for those of you that want to know more of what happens within these red walls. Please follow me if you have not already. I love to know who actually reads my blog. My counter tells me I average a couple hundred hits a week... maybe a bit less... so I know someone reads my rants and raves. Stop by and say hello. I enjoy hearing from you. Have a peaceful evening and a great tomorrow=)

Enlightened

WOW!!! What a crazy 24 hours this has been. Im sure our family was not the only one glued to the television or on the phone with friends and family all night. This election was a grave disappointment for many. For others it was a cause for celebration, a night of rejoicing, dancing and hope for a new America.

 My heart was maddened last night, then saddened. I ended the night in prayer and woke to find myself still feeling the same. Contemplating my many many thoughts I have decided to take the road less traveled. I have always had the philosophy that I may not like everything about the Man elected to run our country, but being raised correctly, I will stand behind him. I will not support the many issues he will pass but he is our leader and has "won" my respect. 

 I had two choices yesterday. I could lose hope. Lose hope for all those little souls never to see the light of day,lose hope for any morality our country may still have or lose hope for our future... BUT I may not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future...and its not the man we now call President-Elect.

 I don't hold out in hopes the right decisions were made. I don't hold out hope the president-elect will save this country from a fallen economy and I surely don't hold out hope that he will turn this country around for the better. My hope does not lie in man and what he can or can't do. My hope is in the Lord. I rejoice in the fact that God still is in control. Nothing happens without His approval. So, with that being said I will go to church tonight and rejoice. My soul will sing because I know who holds MY future.My heart will smile because no matter how this country turns out I know I am one of God's children. I will be taken care of. I will walk in peace knowing my time on this earth is as fleeting as the wind. I am just passing thru. I wait in expectation for eternity where God will reign forevermore. I will sleep in peace knowing the blood of those babies are not on my  hands. I will laugh in the face of "danger" because I know the final outcome. I have nothing to fear, my eternity is already written.How does your eternity look?

 So I will not focus my thoughts on what will happen to this country. I focus on the upcoming holidays. I have so much to be Thankful for. I have so much to look forward to and so much ahead...

What I Want My Kids To...

Next Monday my UCM group is having a "Turn your tv off and read" night.I quickly signed up. I should sign up for "Turn your tv off during the day..." as thats what I have been doing for the past 3 weeks... or at least trying to. No tv during the day came about when I started homeschooling. We do most activities around our table and the big flat screen was a big interference. So, we used to put the tv on in our bedroom for the little ones. 3 weeks ago I stopped that. Tv tends to separate instead of pull together so I conducted an experiment. See how little we can actually turn the tv on. The first week was tough, we went thru withdrawal but somehow survived. The next week got a bit better and by the 3rd week we kinda forgot we even wanted to watch tv during the day. My plan is working and the togetherness has started. I posted pictures of one of our nights. I was trying to systematically change the babies in their jammies. (Molly still has trouble getting her shirt off so while she waited for me to get back to her, she finished her skit) when the entertainment started. I was graced with a skit performed by each child. True imaginations at work. I LOVED it. I loved to hear the characters they created and the giggles from the other kids as they watched. I too shouted MORE MORE when each one was done. This type of family time is what I want for my family... what I want them to crave when they grow up. I want them to become productive members of society and realize that they will leave home and create a world for themselves. I also want them to always think that no matter how good their meal was on sunday... Sauce should always be on the menu. I want them to realize that sleeping alone is over-rated, a quite home is not a home at all and popcorn should never EVER be eaten without M and M's. I want them to explore the world and see all the great wonders but secretly count the seconds till they get back. I want them to feel whole and complete when surrounded by all of their siblings.(however many that will be) I want them to tell their boyfriends that they never had a real dinner until they had it around their family table. I want them to think no one makes a better thanksgiving meal like their Mama. I want them to suddenly burst into laughter at work,school,or store when they think of the fun they used to have playing games together. I want them to come back for more games together. I want my kids to associate September with Apple Pie, January with hot chocolate and May with tomato plants. I want them to walk thru the door of their parents home and realize its one of the only safe places in the world where your loved unconditionally,always welcome and 100% complete. I want so much for all of my kids, I pray I can give them all...

In Honor Of Tomorrow's Election...

“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” ~ John Quincy Adams

"Vote your MORALS, NOT your pocketbook." Pastor Owens

"Vote, just VOTE..." Gapgirl=)

“As people do better, they start voting like Republicans - unless they have too much education and vote Democratic, which proves there can be too much of a good thing” "God says.... Get right or get left".... a sign I saw on the way to the park. Love it!!!